How to tell if Traeger Hot Rod is Bad: 2 Easy Steps

Traeger grills are popular for their long-lasting quality and very effective warranty and customer service. Some minor issues are always present in grilling units but are usually fixable. That’s what happened for my Traeger unit, and we solved them after consulting with Traeger.

So my Traeger was taking 20–25 minutes to get heated up for the past few days, and then I called Traeger. They asked their primary questions and asked me if the hot pot was clean. I finally found out about my problematic hot rod and replaced it. So here I am going to give you some ideas about how to tell if Traeger Hot Rod is bad. I will give you specific information to understand the Traeger rod and if the hot rod is bad and needs replacement.

Table of Contents

What is a Traeger Hot Rod?

The hot rod is one of the main components of the Traeger grill and is used to ignite the fire on the wood pellets. A hot rod is always connected to the fire pot inside a Traeger grill. So you can see the hot rod perfectly, I always remove the pellet grill’s grate and then the drip tray. Now the fire pot is completely visible.

The hot rod is always under the pellet hole. The thin, rod-like thing under the pellet hole is the hot rod. To do this in a better way, unscrew the little wing nuts around the fire pot. Now pull the fire pot a little towards the outside and give it a little turn. Firepot will definitely come out. Once the hot pot is out, you’ll see the connector between the hot pot and the hot rod with a set screw. So the screw connects the hot rod and the fire pot connector.

Generally, this hot rod starts to heat up when the power is on, and it gets red, like when we overheat any lead, and it turns red. That red flame sets fire into the pellets slowly and effectively.

Symptoms of Bad Hot Rod

Now, if the Traeger grill doesn’t work efficiently or the heat doesn’t show up like it used to, then there can be multiple problems that cause the malfunction of the Traeger grill. So, how do you know if the faulty hot rod exhibits the symptom?

Initial Igniting

If the Trager grill gets the initial igniting and then gradually the it fails to keep up the temperature or if the Traeger grill sets the fire into wood pallets then definitely it’s not the symptom of the damaged hot rod.

Temperature Swings

It refers to a funny incident like when the Traeger grill temperature rises to 50 degrees Celsius, and suddenly the display shows an error code, and the grill goes cold. So, this kind of wild swing in temperature doesn’t indicate a problematic hot rod. It indicates a dirty fire pot and some electrical issues.

Long Time to Heat up

It is the most common issue and indicates a faulty hot rod. An usual Traeger grill shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to heat up completely, and for a brand new Traeger grill, it takes less than 7-8 minutes. If the Traeger grill takes 20–25 minutes to heat up and then everything is normal, then it’s the bad hot rod.

Lack of Smoke

Traeger grill produces the smoke, and that helps cook smoky hot grills. So failing in smoke production refers to Traeger grill hot rod replacement.

How to Test the Hot Rod

It’s time to be sure about my Traeger grill’s hot rod performance. Because a hot rod is not a cheap item, I must ensure the definite malfunction of my hot rod first. Symptoms are there. Guess what problem my Traeger grill might be facing. But to be sure, I go through a couple of methods.

1. Using My Hand

It’s a simple method. Just take off the grill grate and drip tray to get access to the fire pot. Then turn on the Traeger grill and set the regulator to the smoke setting. Now keep your palm a few inches above the fire pot. If the hot rod is okay, you will feel some heat on your palm. The hot rod is faulty if you don’t feel any heat immediately.

2. Unhook and Plugin Aging the Molex Connector

Turn off the Traeger grill from an electric connection at first.
Now unplug the purple and white Molex connectors.
Then connect the fiberglass-wrapped wires and the purple Molex connector.
Turn on the grill and keep it like that for five minutes. Turn on the smoker option. If it fails to produce smoke, then the hot rod has some issues.
Again, turn off the Traeger grill and plug out the orange wires from the Molex connector.
Reconnect it again and turn on the Traeger grill unit. If the induction fan works properly and still the unit is not procuring any smoke, then definitely the hot rod is bad.

How to Replace the Hot Rod

Replacing a hot rod doesn’t require you to be an expert at it. Or it doesn’t require any professional help if only I am confident enough to follow every step. Let’s go through them.

Unplug the Traeger grill from the electrical outlets.
Now go underneath the hopper and find the purple wire.
Now unplug the connector that connects the two wires. It protects your Traeger grill from short circuits.
Take off the grill grate, drip tray, and heat baffle. Now the fire pot is completely exposed.
Unscrew the little wing nuts around the fire pot, pull the firepot a little forward, and wiggle a bit.
Now you can see the hot rod connecting with the fire pot.
Unscrew the connecting screw or lose the screw that tightly holds the hot rod to the fire pot.
Get out the old hot rod and connect the Molex connector to the new one.
Do the wiring according to the guidelines of the new hot rod package.
Remember to keep 1/8 of the hot rod in the hot pot.
Now return everything to its original position.

FAQ

How long a Traeger hot rod provides service?

– According to Traeger, it can last for more than a year and up to two years if used frequently. But I suggest you get a new hot rod if you want fast heating.

How hot a Traeger Rod gets?

– A brand new Traeger rod gets almost thousands degree. But when it has been working for almost a year, the efficiency gets lower and doesn’t heat up in a short time.

Does Traeger Grill use any fuses?

– Yes, Traeger grill hot rood requires a fuse that’s not come with the hot rod. You can get it from Traeger or local hardware; without it, the heat of the hot rod will continue to rise and cause a short circuit.

Conclusion

It takes less than five minutes to get the hot rod to turn red and set the pellets on fire. If it takes more than this time, it’s better to do a Traeger grill hot rod replacement. Traeger offers a year warranty for hot rods, so professionals will solve any problem related to a hot rod if the warranty covers it.

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